Appalachian Nature Tour

Welcome!

To honor the beginning of summer, Greg and I recently went on a tour of nature in the Appalachians.

Here are highlights of what we saw on our tour:

                 Tree trunks are interesting.  I think they show a lot of character.

The mimosa is one of my favorite trees.  For me, mimosas are not only pretty, but they also bring back fond memories, as we had several in our back yard when I was a child.

                   In this photo, you can almost smell their intoxicating fragrance.

                                             What's nature without wildlife?

Nature Walk

Greg snapped this photo of me, enjoying our tour of nature.  This may be our first nature tour of the summer, but it won't be our last!

Happy summer, everybody! 

Positive thought: Celebrate summer!
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

Being Thankful

Welcome!

"Thank you for the world so sweet.
Thank you for the food we eat.
Thank you for the birds that sing.
Thank you, God, for everything."
-Author Unknown

The above child's mealtime blessing is, in my opinion, the mindset we should have every day, no matter what's going on in our lives.  If we did, I feel the world would be a much better place for us all.

Here are some more thankful quotes I'd like to share with you:

"...let the thankful heart
sweep through the day and,
as the magnet finds the iron,
so it will find, in every hour,
some heavenly blessings."
-Henry Ward Beecher

"...to live gratitude is to touch Heaven."
-Johannes A. Gaertner

"Some people are always grumbling
because roses have thorns;
I am thankful that thorns have roses."
-Alphonse Karr

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;
they Are the charming gardeners
who make our souls blossom."
-Marcel Proust

"We should all be thankful for those people
who rekindle the inner spirit."
-Albert Schweitzer

People like the ones mentioned above who come to my mind are:

-Joel Osteen who empowers people with his sermons, emails, and his books.
-Mike Dooley who uplifts people through his books, emails, and workshops.

"Gratitude means to recognize the good in your life,
be thankful for whatever you have...You are blessed."
-Pablo

Joe Vitale tells the story of how his being thankful for a simple pencil took him from poverty to wealth.

The Magic by Rhonda Byrne shows the importance of gratitude.  This life-changing book is one of my favorites.

Years ago, I started keeping a daily gratitude journal which Oprah Winfrey suggested doing on her show.  It has had a positive impact on my life.

Positive thought: "People who have the most fulfilling lives
are the ones who are always rejoicing at what they have."
-Richard Carlson
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

More Southern Appalachian Mountain Sayings, Etc.

Welcome!

My "Southern Appalachian Mountain Sayings" blog post ( January 15, 2012) has proven to be one of my most popular ones, so I decided to tackle the subject again, but to go beyond just the sayings, to also include some mountain customs, etc.

 Here are some more Southern Appalachian Mountain sayings that Greg and I came up with (in no particular order).

"She gets up with the chickens." (She gets up early.)

"I haven't seen you in a coon's age." (In a long time.)

"I ought to give you a button."  (For doing something that deserves a reward.)

"She'll get that done in no time flat." (Quickly.)

He's "tighter than Dick's hatband."   He's "tighter than bark on a log."  (He doesn't spend much money.)

"It's tight as banjer strings."  (It's on tightly.)

"It's as slick as glass."

"You gotta take the bull by the horns."  (You have to just get in there, take charge, and do it.)

"It's raining cats and dogs."  (It's raining a lot.)

Mountain talk (speech, dialect):

Peonies in the mountains are sometimes referred to as "peony roses" (as we recently found out while we were visiting relatives) or "piney."

                                                                  Peonies

We still call our evening meal "supper."  That word apparently comes from England, as I have heard the characters on my favorite show, Keeping Up Appearances, say "supper."

I have a crick (stiffness) in my neck. 

He "can't see the forest for the trees."  (He can't see the big picture.)

Appalachian Mountain and standard American English meanings:

Her people-relatives

Heered-heard

Pert-near-almost

Haint-a ghost

Dialog Greg overheard while he was in grade school (spelled phonetically):

"Have you got ery pencil?"
"No, I ain't got nary'n."

Greg and I still catch ourselves calling wash cloths, "worsh rags," a carry-over from childhood.

Appalachian Mountain superstitions:

If you spill salt, you need to throw part of the spilled salt over your shoulder or you'll have bad luck.

Breaking a mirror brings the person who broke it seven years of bad luck.

(You can take the above superstitions "with a grain of salt!")

An important Southern custom that you must adhere to: You wear white only between Memorial Day and Labor Day!

If you are really interested in Southern Appalachian Mountain traditions and dialect, wonderful resources are The Trail of the Lonesome Pine book by John Fox, Jr. and The Trail of the Lonesome Pine outdoor drama in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.  (Please see my July 31, 2011 blog post.)

Positive thought: Bye y'all!  Have a great week!
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky